Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Two sides of stem cell research
Ethics of stem cell research 2016
Ethical theories stem cell research
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Two sides of stem cell research
Stem cell research is known to be a major taboo practice throughout the United States. In
July 2015 Planned Parenthood received a substantial amount of backlash when a representative was video recorded making an attempt to sell aborted fetuses for research purposes. This video brought stem cell research into light and received a lot of controversy amongst the United States.
Based on religious values, many individuals in the United States believe that stem cell research is unethical and morally wrong. Culturally speaking, the United States is a country that has a melting pot of different cultures and beliefs. Because of this, many people view stem cell research as a way of mimicking or playing the role of God, the ultimate creator. Although this may be a valid point, stem cells have the potential to save lives and possibly cure a myriad of diseases. An argument that can be posed to pro-lifers is, at what point does an individual become a human? Even if stem cell research may destroy a possible “human” life, future lives can be gained because of it. Stem cells have the ability to develop into a
…show more content…
Some stem cells even have the ability to repair and replace damaged tissues. The emerging use of stem cell research is a relatively new concept. Due to the increasing rate of diseases being more common within our society, and the possibility of regeneration with organs, stem cell research is imperative. With the possibility of degenerative diseases being cured and valuable lives being saved, stem cell research is on the path of becoming the new norm. I believe that the use of stem cell research seems promising towards the advancement of our society and will provide remedies for diseases and cancers that society could not even imagine to be curable. This paper will discuss the importance of furthering research into the full scope of stem cell therapy and suggest the benefits of stem cell research to state officials and government
One of the stronger arguments against the use of aborted fetuses is that an alternative source would be simpler and more efficient source of stem cells.
The cells unique nature has scientists intrigued to do research with the focus of finding a way that these cells can be used to replace patients’ injured or diseased tissues. Advancement is made to all the three types of stem cells namely embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells in addition to induced pluripotent cells. Embryonic cells are the building blocks of an embryo that is developing, and can develop into almost all body cell types. Somatic cells are found in the body tissues. They renew and regenerate in healthy bodies. The third type which is induced pluripotent is genetically modified embryo cells from skin cells.2 Research on these cells are geared towards saving humanity; a noble course.
In 2001 scientist attempted to create a cloned human embryo, they had consulted all the necessary sources before getting the “ok” to begin “creating”. Then they had to find a female subject to donate eggs. To start the process of cloning they need to use a very fine needle and get the genetic information from a mature egg. Then they inject it into the nucleus of a donor cell. The female donors were asked to take psychological and physical tests to screen for diseases and what not.
Over the past decade scientist and the U.S government have been debating about funds for stem cell research (SCR), the amount spent depends on who is in office. The Democratic Party fully supports SCR, but the Republican Party somewhat opposes the concept of SCR, arfuing it violates the Christian principle of life. As a result, this topic is considered controversial, but also beneficial if allowed. Despite the controversy, SCR should be well funded for medicinal use, because blank stem cells (SC) can be used to regenerate bones and muscle tissue, they can be used to control or even reverse neurodegenerative disease, and because they can be used for therapeutic cloning.
Followers of Christianity, for example, base their values on the teachings of the Bible or more specifically the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are a set of rules that are literally from God himself. The Ten Commandments are: You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall make no idols. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Keep the Sabbath day holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet. These commandments are believed to determine right from wrong by Christians. This is called Divine Command Theory, which means that whatever God commands is morally right. Concerning stem cell research, “You shall not murder” is the commandment that is broken. For the same reason abortion is wrong in the eyes of Christianity, the use of stem cells is wrong as well. An embryo must be harvested and destroyed in order to harvest stem cells, and since Christians consider unborn babies as people, it is murder to terminate a pregnancy. This belief has caused millions to stand against stem cell research for decades. While those who support it, focus on the number of lives that could be
Because stem cells are essentially a blank slate, scientists are theoretically capable of growing any human tissue cell. There is enormous medical potential in this. Stem cell research is the next step in advancing the medical field. It is comparable to the discovery of penicillin or the inoculation for smallpox.
...velopment of tissues to replace damaged organs in the human body. Scientists have discovered for the first time how stem cells could be generated from embryo’s that were produced using adult stem cells.
Imagine that there is a cure for nearly every ailment that affects the human race. Imagine that you could help the terminally ill, put those you love out of pain, and cut the healing time of an enormous number of serious illnesses in half. Imagine a world in which pain and suffering would be nearly nonexistent, and the people you love can live safe from the fear of crippling injury. Now what if I told you that this utopia was a fast approaching reality? Everything from serious life threatening burns to lymphoma, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Cord Injury, and Strokes could, in the very near future, be eliminated through the simple culturing and implementation of stem cell therapy . These diseases are no small component of the myriad of conditions that plagues the human race, and yet, the end for these horrible maladies could very well be in sight. Man has always sought to end suffering, largely without success, until now. the promise that stem cell therapy holds could completely change our world for the better. Already, stem cell therapy is being used to treat leukemia, immune disorders, hodgkins and non-hodgkins lymphoma, anemia and a profusion of other ailments. As you all know, this is no small accomplishment. One day i believe that we may look at alzheimer's and diabetes and other major illnesses much like we look at polio today, as a treatable illness. Right now, our research with stem cells is providing us with new light into how we look at and model disease, our ability to understand why we get sick and even to develop new drugs. In 2008, a researcher from the New York Stem Cell Foundation Laborato...
A stem cell is a cell in the body that can differentiate into almost any other type of cell in the body. Stem cells come from sites in the bone marrow, as well as the tissues of developing fetuses. The most controversial issue in stem cell therapy is the use of fetuses for their stem cells. Scientists want to clone human embryos, and use the stem cells long before the embryo matures (when it is only about 36 cells). This causes a large amount of unease in society, because people fear that stem cells and therapeutic cloning will lead us into disgusting and horrible experimental practices, as well as therapies. Most people in America do not want this horrible vision of the future to come true, so they want all stem cell technology and research banned.
Monroe, Kristen, et al., eds. Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical and Political Issues. Los Angeles/Berkley: University of California Press, 2008. Print
Stem cell research has been a heated and highly controversial debate for over a decade, which explains why there have been so many articles on the issue. Like all debates, the issue is based on two different arguments: the scientific evolution and the political war against that evolution. The debate proves itself to be so controversial that is both supported and opposed by many different people, organizations, and religions. There are many “emotional images [that] have been wielded” in an attempt to persuade one side to convert to the other (Hirsen). The stem cell research debate, accompanied by different rhetoric used to argue dissimilar points, comes to life in two articles and a speech: “Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? Yes, Don’t Impede Medical Progress” by Virginia Postrel; “Should Human Cloning Be Allowed? No, It’s a Moral Monstrosity” by Eric Cohen and William Kristol; and “Remarks by Ron Reagan, Jr., to the 2004 Democratic National Convention” by Ron Reagan, Jr. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the main categories differentiating the two arguments.
This belief is wrong. Many countries including the United States have laws regarding embryonic stem cells. The United States has limits on when you can take embryos and there off course has to be consent from the donor of the stem cells. All these regulations are being met and the research is being done safely and in a way that always keeps safety as a first priority. New procedures and uses of stem cells also have to be deemed safe or the risks have to at least be shared before treatment can take place. These regulations make sure stem cells are being used in a safe way and that you know the facts about the way researchers are using
Stem cells offer exciting promise for future therapies, but significant technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research. Stem Cells have the incredible potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. Scientists primarily work with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans. The embryonic stem cells and the non-embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are the cells from which all other cells originate. In a human embryo, a large portion of the embryo’s cells are stem cells. These stem cells can be used for cell-based therapies. Cell-Based therapies are treatments in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues. Stem cells are versatile and offer the possibility to treat a number of diseases including Alzheimer’s, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. The problem is that for the process of embryonic stem cell research and embryo will be destroyed if used. This raises a moral issue and questions of whether stem cell research is unethical or not.
... new ways to treat other diseases like the cancer genes that soon could very well be stopped before they even start. The changes it could bring are amazing there is really no reason to stop learning more about helping to heal the human body.
These boys and girls are not spare parts”. Later on that year, Bush signed a bill to ban the creation of human fetuses for the sole purpose of harvesting organs. Soon after, the House proposed another bill that they had hoped to sign to promote efforts to conduct stem cell research without destroying human embryos. Bush had called it “an important piece of legislation”, but several politicians said that it would distract attention from his veto of the funding for human embryonic stem cell research. Researchers and officials say that about 400,000 frozen embryos are stored at several U.S. fertility clinics, with the vast majority awaiting removal because couples that have produced these embryos do not want to raise them and also don’t want another person(s) to raise their biological child.